Statement of Common Ground between Ipswich Borough Council as Local Planning Authority, Suffolk County Council as Highway Authority and Highways England 30th September 2020 Scope 1. This Statement of Common Ground identifies areas of agreement (and any areas of disagreement) between Highways England (‘HE’), Ipswich Borough Council (‘IBC’) and Suffolk County Council (‘SCC’) in relation to the impacts of the Ipswich Local Plan on the strategic road network. Objective 2. The objective of this Statement of Common Ground is to provide a clear and up to date position in relation to the capacity of the strategic road network to accommodate planned growth set out in the Ipswich Local Plan and how any identified issues will be addressed. Evidence Base for the Strategic Road Network 3. The strategic road network in the vicinity of Ipswich consists of the A12 and the A14 trunk roads. The A12 approaches from the south linking Ipswich with London, Chelmsford and Colchester. The A14 passes around the southern and western sides of the town, linking Felixstowe, Ipswich and the Midlands. The two roads intersect at A14 Junction 55 Copdock. None of the A12 and only short lengths of the A14 fall within Ipswich Borough boundary. Map 1 below shows the strategic road network in relation to Ipswich and Map 2 identifies the key A14 junctions around Ipswich Map 1 Strategic Road Network around Ipswich Map 2 Key A14 junctions around Ipswich: Junction 53 Whitehouse to Junction 58 Seven Hills 4. Traffic modelling undertaken by WSP on behalf of SCC (CD reference D36.1) for forecast scenarios 2026 and 2036 considers the A14 Corridor from Junction 53 Bury Road/Whitehouse Interchange at the north-western tip of Ipswich to Junction 58 Seven Hills to the south east of Ipswich, between Nacton and Bucklesham in East Suffolk District. Sections 3.5 and 3.6 of the report identify that by the end of the plan period: • The A14 junctions around Ipswich show capacity constraints as a result of background growth and Ipswich Local Plan implementation. • The impact is most substantial for Copdock (J55), Wherstead (J56) and Nacton (J57) interchanges. • The A14 junctions 53 (Whitehouse) and 54 (Sproughton) are not identified as impacted significantly as a result of the Ipswich Local Plan. However, a Transport Assessment-level assessment may highlight significant impacts at these junctions at a later stage, which would be addressed through the planning process. 5. The modelling predicts during the local plan period the A14 mainline will have limited capacity, particularly between Junction 55 and Junction 57 in both directions, including the section which crosses the River Orwell. 6. Based on the outcomes of the modelling, the Ipswich Strategic Planning Area (ISPA) Strategic Road Network Technical Note (CD reference D38) was produced specifically to look at the performance of the SRN and model how this would change with mitigation measures in place at the junctions. The impacts of a potential Road Investment Strategy (RIS) scheme at the A14 Junction 55 (Copdock), together with improvements at A14 Junction 56 (Wherstead) and A14 Junction 57 (Nacton) are considered in the note. Mitigation measures at Junction 58 (Seven Hills) associated with the Brightwell Lakes planning permission are also included. 7. The Technical Note concludes that the A14 south of Ipswich has significant capacity pressures with sections of the mainline operating at capacity post 2026. Whilst the modelling indicates that the A12/A14 RIS pipeline scheme and other potential future junction schemes would lead to significant easing of congestion at approaches to junctions on the SRN, their effectiveness is constrained by mainline capacity issues. The report suggests a strategy needs to be developed which looks to easing congestion on both the junctions and mainline for the section of the SRN south of Ipswich. 8. It is important to note that the capacity issues along the A14 are largely as a result of corridor and wider background growth. The location of proposed growth in Ipswich is largely located away from the A14 corridor with regeneration sites in central Ipswich and an urban extension at Ipswich Garden Suburb. The direct contribution to the congestion issues identified along the A14 is limited, but its impacts on other east-west routes may make the A14 alternative a more attractive option. 9. The SCC Transport Mitigation Strategy for the Ipswich Strategic Planning Area (ISPA) (CD D39) sets out measures to achieve modal shift across the whole ISPA area, with interim measures aligned with the national Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) timescales. The aim of the ISPA Transport Mitigation Strategy is to provide a step change in transport movements across Ipswich and provide some reduction in capacity issues on the A14 with the removal of local journeys from the trunk road. This will help contribute to facilitating delivery of the local plan growth. 10. HE representations to the Final Draft Ipswich Local Plan are summarised at Appendix 1, together with IBC’s response. How A14 capacity issues resulting from the Local Plan growth are addressed 11. The Technical Note (CD D38) identifies indicative improvements for each of the key A14 junctions to the south of Ipswich. These are set out below: Table 1 A14 Junction Improvements Junction Works Status Cost Promoter Funding J 55 Junction RIS3 pipeline tbc Highways DfT through future Copdock capacity scheme under England RIS3 but not enhancements development committed at this to provide stage through junction free flow movements J 56 Improvements Improvements £5-10m Developer- Developer Wherstead to junction - have been led contributions from signalised designed in development control junction connection within and roundabout with planning Babergh/Mid improvements applications in Suffolk Districts Babergh/Mid Suffolk Districts Babergh Planning Committee, July 2020) Junction Works Status Cost Promoter Funding J 53, 54, Junction To be £5-10m for Developer- Developer 57 capacity developed in junction led contributions enhancement conjunction improveme works. with future nts. development proposals J 58 Seven Increase Brightwell £1.8 - Developer- Developer Hills capacity at the Lakes planning £2.1m led contributions, A12 junction, permission (non-trunk road) including Major Road signalisation of Network (MRN) junctions, and Funding adjoining local road. 12. In March 2020, the Department for Transport published Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) which sets out the Government’s investment strategy for the period 2020 – 2025. This has been added to the core document library (CD I13). The strategy includes an investigative RIS3 pipeline scheme to provide a major upgrade to the A12/A14 J55 Copdock Interchange. Pipeline proposals are schemes for early development which in conjunction with newly developed route strategies will inform investment decisions for future RIS periods. 13. As noted at 7, the capacity of the A14 main line is constrained. Whilst the ISPA Transport Mitigation Strategy will have a beneficial impact on the A14 by reducing some of the local usage, overall traffic is still forecast to grow, as evidenced by the WSP Technical Note in relation to the A14 and Model Run 7 (CD D35.2), which tested the impacts of the ISPA Transport Mitigation Strategy on the whole road network. Other related work streams 14. The section of A14 between J56 and J57, which includes the River Orwell Bridge, suffers from closures due to high winds. This has a significant effect on congestion and capacity with diversion routes are routed through central Ipswich. HE has undertaken technical studies to review this issue, which have identified particular measures to improve performance focused on using lower or variable speed limits and lane control to manage the road’s capacity and reduce the number of closures of the Orwell Bridge. HE is taking forward all the report’s recommendations by the end of the financial year. See https://www.gov.uk/government/news/orwell-bridge-study-offers-new- hope-for-reducing-high-wind-closures. 15. Elsewhere along the A14 in Suffolk, HE recognises the limited capacity of the corridor and is looking at identifying demand management measures that would maximise its capacity and minimise future congestion. The outcome of this work will inform future route strategies and funding opportunities when they arise. 16. Cross boundary matters have been considered through the ISPA Statement of Common Ground iteration 6, in particular Section I Annex – Cross Boundary Infrastructure Requirements (CD A21). Areas of Agreement 17. HE, SCC and IBC agree that the following measures can be considered for resolving identified link and junction capacity problems arising from growth and will positively facilitate delivery of the Ipswich Local Plan: • Modal shift amongst the new and existing communities will reduce impacts on the network below what was originally modelled. • Improvements to A14 Junction 55 Copdock identified through the RIS2 pipeline process for future RIS funding RIS3 will address junction capacity. • A14 mainline capacity enhancement through demand management measures, such as variable mandatory speed measures on the A14 offer a potential means of managing increasing demand and growth along the corridor. • Committed development at Brightwell Lakes (Suffolk Coastal Local Plan reference SCLP12.19) will provide additional capacity at Junction 58 during the early plan period, and Land at Felixstowe Road (Suffolk Coastal Local Plan reference SCLP12.20) will offer additional